ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – The water in three lakes on Mount Kelimutu has recently changed color.
According to the Head of the Geological Agency of the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Muhammad Wafid, changes in the color of the lake water which are also accompanied by an increase in the volume of seismicity indicate a supply of magma to the surface.
Anticipating the possibility of bad things happening, the Geological Agency increased the status of Mount Kelimutu to Level II (Alert).
“The results of visual and instrumental monitoring show that there has been an increase in the activity of Mount Kelimutu. So the activity level of Mount Kelimutu has been raised from Level I (Normal) to Level II (Alert) starting May 24 at 13.00 WITA,” said Wafid, Friday, May 24 2024.
The increase in status by the Geological Agency also takes into account changes in the color of the water from three lakes on Mount Kelimutu which show consistency in color changes that are increasingly evident in craters I (Tiwu Ata Polo) and II (Tiwu Koofai Nuwamuri).
“Monitoring data, both visual and instrumental, shows significant changes in the color of the water in Crater I Lake, as well as the increasingly intensive appearance and distribution of sulfur on the surface of Crater II Lake water,” continued Wafid.
Mount Kelimutu is in Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province. Mount Kalimutu was observed visually and instrumentally from the Observation Post (PGA) located in Kolorongo Village, Koa Nora Village, Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara.
Mount Kelimutu has 3 crater lakes, namely Crater 1 (Tiwu Ata Polo), Crater 2 (Tiwu Koofai Nuwamuri) and Crater 3 (Tiwu Ata Bupu).
In the past few days, the water of the three lakes has experienced a change in color, Kawah I (Tiwu Ata Polo), on May 17 2024, the water in the crater has changed from green to dark green with the water temperature of Lake Kawau measuring 23oC and then becoming blackish brown. on May 22, 2024.
The same condition was experienced by Crater II (Tiwu Koofai Nuwamuri), on May 17 2024, the crater lake water was light blue, the same as the previous inspection. Observed golden yellow sulfur deposits scattered on the water surface of the crater lake in the center, to the east, southeast, northwest, north and northeast, the smell of sulfur gas was faint, there was no smoke from the crater. The water temperature in the crater lake was measured at 22oC, then on May 23, the temperature increased to 24oC on May 23, 2024.
Crater III (Tiwu Ata Bupu), on May 17 2024, the crater lake water was observed to be dark green, the same as the previous inspection. The water temperature of Lake Kawau was measured at 20oC and increased to 21oC on May 23 2024 with the water temperature remaining the same.
Regarding the increase in the status of Mount Kelimutu, the Geological Agency has asked the public/visitors around Mount Kelimutu not to be near the crater area within a radius of 250 m from the edge of the crater.
Intensive monitoring to evaluate the activity of Mount Kelimutu is still being carried out by the Geological Agency through the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG).
“Communities around Mount Kelimutu should remain calm and not be provoked by irresponsible news regarding Mount Kelimut’s activities. The Regional Government of Ende Regency should always coordinate with PVMBG in Bandung or with the Mount Kelimutu Observation Post in Kolorongo Village, Koa Nora Village, Ende Regency to get information about the activities of Mount Kelimutu,” added Wafid. (AT Network)
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